The Laughters: The Untold Origin of Joker and Harley Quinn

Chapter 17: The Caped Crusader

Third year of Harleen being a college student and things seem pretty good, she has outstanding markings in all of her units and nothing was holding her back.

She was determined and focused, she also had to attend the gymnastics practice in her University to make sure they continue her scholarship and financial support.

She was team captain and training leader, after each session she would go to the gym nearby and work out harder.

She also attended Taekwondo and Mixed Martial Arts classes in Metropolis, she was alone in the city with no one to rely on but her self so she needs to be ready for anything. She was so focused on herself she forgot about those she left behind.

Back in Gotham, crime rate heightened, and a masked vigilante rose from the shadows, claiming he was the savior of the corrupt city.

Batman, the one and only, the high and mighty.

It was his first year of crime fighting in Gotham, he was only a whisper for now, a legend or a myth.

Many were outraged to find out someone was taking matters to his own hands, it was illegal of course, the GCPD are the only ones authorized to take on crime.

One of the outraged citizens were Julius' family, they didn't show much love for a caped crusader roaming their streets claiming it was under his watch.

Julius was fine with it, he idolized the urban myth for he too wanted to keep the city safe from criminals, from the corrupt and unfair, but of course he respected his family more than anyone.

One ominous and gloomy night, after coming home from work, Julius was walking down an empty street. When he heard a cry for help, "Agh! Help! Someone please!"

He looked around and found a woman, being robbed by the alley, he ran as fast as he can. "Hey buddy! Get off her!" the robber pulled out a knife, stared at Julius with a threatening grin "Make me." Julius readied his stance and charged at the robber.

The criminal swung his knife, trying to slice Julius, but somehow he succeeded in evading almost all.

Until the robber cut his arm "Argh! Goddamit!" he tried to get the knife off the criminal but he was then stabbed in the gut. Forcing Julius to kneel, he looked up and the robber put the knife to his throat and said "It was a mistake comin' here, pretty boy."

Julius looked at the woman and shouted "Run! Get out of here!" the woman grabbed her bag from the floor and went off with the wind.

Julius looked at the robber "Do your worst, you son of a bitch." the robber laughed "you're gonna scream for this." and then they heard a deep voice in the back "You're gonna scream."

They both looked at the shadows and Batman emerged, pounced at the criminal and grabbed his throat, immediately causing him to drop his knife.

Batman banged the criminal's head on the wall, instantly knocking him out. He then grabbed his handcuffs and tied the criminal up. He looked at Julius "Good job kid. Paramedics are on their way. Hold on." he then used his grapple and flew away in the night.

Julius looked up in amazement as he saw his hero dash away to the shadows. He can hear the sirens of the ambulance and police cars as he closed his eyes from his injuries.

He woke up in a hospital bed, patched up and confined. He looked around and saw his father sleeping on a chair, and flowers on his nightstand from numerous of his old school mates.

Julius watched the TV as it showed his incident that happened that night, he saw the victim of the robbery, claiming Julius was a hero, saving her life and how sorry she was for not saving his.